Freedom Has A Price
by CatsAreBetterThenHumans
Summary: Betty has had enough of her home life. Finally unable to take it anymore she runs away...directly into Jugheads arms. I'm going to rate it T for now but I might change it if I want things to get steamy. Btw this is the first fanfic I've published in a long time so don't be afraid to leave constructive criticism.
1. Chapter 1

Betty clenched her fists nails digging into her soft palms. The sting of pain didn't even register when her nails broke the skin. This was the last straw. She has had it with the whole goddamn thing. Her teeth clenched along with her hands in order to prevent venomous words slipping past her pink perfection stained lips.

Her mother's mouth moved but it seemed as if no sound was coming out. She knew Alice had to be raging about something. Who was she kidding?! When was her mom not on a rampage. She watched as her movements became more violent with every scream. Her blonde hair shaking ridiculously along with her head. Her mother looked so small to her now. It was like watching a toddler throw a tantrum.

"Betty! Betty! Are you even listening to me?!" Alice Cooper's shrill voice snapped her back into reality. Alice stood with her arms crossed and her hip jutting out. Wisps of her perfectly blonde hair fell into her face giving her a "I just had a crazy screaming match of something stupid" look.

"Yeah Mom I'm listening" Betty replied her voice still a bit distant and dreamy sounding. Alice raised her brow in an accusing manner. "Well then young lady. What was I talking about?"

" _Shit!"_ Betty thought " _She caught me."_ Betty paused racking her brain for an excuse. "Ummmm….My...grades?" She said her voice sounding more uncertain than she intended. Alice opened her mouth. Betty winced as the shouting began again. "Grades? GRADES? YOU THINK I WAS UPSET ABOUT YOUR GRADES?!" Alice screamed her face becoming red again. "Unbelievable! UN! FUCKING! BELIEVABLE! I can't even lecture you without you screwing it up!" Betty had to hold back a scoff. She'd hardly call this a lecture. It was more like watching a military sergeant lose his shit.

"Well then Mother. Care to fill me in on what I've screwed up this time?" Betty said. She swears at that very moment she swears Alice turned purple. "First of all you're going to lose that sass young lady! And second the reason why you're in trouble is because I found this in your room!" Alice reached into her pocket a whipped out a familiar looking grey beanie.

" _Fuck!"_ Betty thought her eyes widening. "You've been letting that Jones boy into your room again haven't you?!" Alice was practically shaking in anger at this point. "You know how we feel about you scurrying around with South Side scum, and a Jones no doubt!"

"Don't talk about him like that! Jughead isn't like that!" Betty protested while snatching her boyfriends most prized possession from her mother's claws. "Oh please Betty don't be so naive!" Alice sighed "All the Jones men are the same. I wouldn't be surprised if he already started laying around that filthy trailer drunk completely shit faced." Betty eyes narrowed her blood pounding in her ears. "You take that back." She said her voice reaching a dangerous sounding volume. "I most certainly won't!" Alice sniffed "I'm just speaking the truth! They're all filthy rats!"

Betty's nails were digging so hard into her skin by know she could feel her blood pooling under her nails. With a huff she turned on her heel and stomped up the stairs. "Elizabeth Cooper you get back here right now I'm not done with you!" Alice's words were met by the slam of Betty's bedroom door. In a likewise manner Alice stormed into the basement slamming the door behind her in relation.

Betty stormed about her room back and forth. This was it. She was truly done with this crazy family once and for all. She stuffed everything she could into her backpack until it looked like someone had stuffed a huge pink blob in it. Struggling with all her might she finally managed to get the thing to close. Though it looked like the thing was about to burst open she didn't care. Lastly she turned to her mirror and pulled out that obnoxiously tight pony tail. She sighed as relief fell over her scalp as she smoothed her fingers over her hair. It was honestly her favorite part of her day. She bit her lip and looked back at the over stuffed bag sitting on her bed. Did she really want to do this?

She looked down at the fresh wounds on her palms. The once yellowed scars looked bright red again. Anger began to flood back in. She had lost count over how many times she had done this to herself because of her mother. She needed to get out. She couldn't be here anymore, she was drowning. She couldn't take it. The constant pressure, her mother's harsh words, her father's absence. If she stayed any longer Betty was positive that she'd snap. She'd snap and take her whole family down with her. Slowly exhaling the breath she didn't know she was holding she slung the bag over her shoulder. She reached for her phone and saw she had two missed calls and eight texts from Jughead.

 _I just realized I left my hat at your place. It's sort of in view so you should probably hide it..._

 _Betty?_

 _Look I really need to know if you got this. If Mama Cooper finds that hat she's going to flip._

 _Go bananas_

 _Seriously text me back so I know she didn't murder you in a fit of rage._

 _Betts please I'm starting to get worried._

 _Betty pick up your phone please_

 _Betty please let me know if you're okay._

A small smile spread across Betty's face. Now while scaring her boyfriend wasn't really all that grand she found it cute how concerned he was. It made her feel like once in her life she had someplace she could be safe. Be free from everything. She quickly sent out a reply not wanting to cause him further panic. There the deed was done. Now she had to go quickly before she chickened out, Moving as quickly as she could she stuffed Jughead beanie on her head and quietly slipped out her window into the cold night.


	2. Chapter 2

Jughead jumped in surprise as the _ping!_ Of his phone pulled him out of his own head. Scrambling across the room he grabbed the small rectangular device. Squinting in discomfort as he phone illuminated his face along as a small portion of the room around him. A single text from Betty lay in his notifications. Clicking on it he stared dumbfounded.

 _Please come see me. You know where I am._

Jughead stared at the text a puzzled expression forming on his face. " _What the fuck is she talking about? It's not like I have a Betty tracker implanted in my head."_ He sat there pondering for a minute or two what was exactly going through that crazed head of hers. Finally letting out a sigh of defeat he sent back a response.

 _Actually Betty I have no idea what you're talking about._

Were all girls this confusing? Or was it just his? Over time he has learned that he is either really bad at picking up on things, or Betty thinks he's some kind of mind reader or something. Running his hands through his beanieless scalp he flopped onto his twin sized bed. Thoughts of the blonde filling his head. While he didn't exactly get what the text meant he was sure it wasn't anything good. The pit in his stomach grew as he thought of what kind of trouble Betty could be in. The empty feeling in his stomach was now filling up with panic and worry.

He felt a vibration next to him as his phone chimed again. Fumbling to find the button he turned it on.

 _Sorry...I was just trying to sound cool. I'm actually in your dad's trailer right now._

Sitting upright his brow furrowed. Why was she there? Biting his lip in an concerned manner he began to type out his response.

 _And why exactly are you in my dad's trailer?_

Her response came almost immediately after he sent his. Scanning the short response the confused but concerned expression he bore deepened

 _Because I'm hiding._

Hiding from what? He jumped off his bed groping in the dimly lit basement for his jacket. His foster home was okay. They pretty much ignored him, but hey it was better than some of the other horror stories he had heard. And it came with a few benefits. One of them being he could come and go as he pleased. Slipping the leather over his arms he jammed his phone in his pocket, but not before typing his response.

 _On my way._

And just like that he was out the door.

 _POV Change_

Betty sat cross legged on FP's old couch. Staring at the text she laid her head back in exhaustion. She closed her eyes and let her racing mind slow down and process what she had just done. She sat and waited. She waited for that feeling to come rushing at her. That feeling of regret and guilt. That gut wrenching sense of panic of what her mother will do when she finds her. Instead all she found was a strange but comforting sense of relief washed over her instead. A relieving feeling of freedom. A small smile formed across her pale pink lips. The smile didn't last long as the stinging of her palms tugged her out of her tranquility as if to say "Hey there remember me?"

She slowly opened her hands revealing her palms to her. Her breath hitched holding back a gasp of horror and shock. Swallowing the dryness in her mouth she leaned back squeezing her eyes shut. The flesh of her soft palms had been completely mangled. Crescent shaped marks were littering her palms. Their redness contrasting horrifically with her pale skin.

" _In and out….In and out… come on Betty breath. You were doing so well before you can do this. Just breath damn it!"_ Betty's thoughts screeched in her head as her breaths became more uneven and shaky. It seemed as if though she had to gulp for air. Her lungs felt tight in her chest and her mouth gaped open like a fish. The once soft flesh of her palms were now mangled in crescent shaped wounds.

Taking a few moments to steady her breathing she got up and headed into the bathroom. If FP still had liquor in here then maybe he'd still have some peroxide or something. The bathroom like the rest of the trailer was small and cramped. There was barely any room for a toilet let alone the small shower that was jammed in the corner. Squeezing into the minimal space between the sink and toilet she started to rummage around in the one bathroom cabinet.

The cabinet opened with ease but as soon as the door flung open bottles upon bottles of pills came tumbling out. Instinctively Betty stepped back only to slip on a bottle and come crashing onto the floor.

Rubbing her now sore back she laid there. Her head aching from the impact and began to think to herself. What was she doing? Why was she here when she knows full well she should be at home? Curiously she reached over and snatched up the bottle that had tripped her. Reading the label her face broke into a small smile.

Peroxcide.

Just what she needed. Easing herself up she leaned over the sink. This time stepping carefully in order to avoid one of FP's many prescriptions. Not even bothering with a cotton swab she unscrewed the cap and dumped the brown liquid all over her hands. And immediately regretted it. She hissed in pain as the chemical leaked into her open wounds causing them all to sting.

Her eyes began to water in response causing her to bite her lip.

Looking down at her now clearly angry cuts Betty leaned further over the sink. The white porcelain was stained with the brown stench of peroxide and spilled pills. The chemical dripped off her hands causing the medicine to dissolve and fizz on contact.

Suddenly a knock rang through out the bathroom causing Betty to jump. Hands shaking she reached over and turned the faucet on washing away the pills and stains.

"Betts?" Betty felt her tense shoulders relax as the muffled voice of her boyfriend eased her pounding heart.

"Y-yeah I'm here. You can come in." She sighed in relief. The door swung open and Jugheads face popped through the door. She watched as his worried expression formed itself into a confused one.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

 _POV change_

Jughead was confused, like really confused. Here was his girlfriend in his dad's trailer standing in a pool of pill bottles. Her red pajama pants clashing with the horrible orange his dad had picked for the walls. He had rushed here expecting she had lost a limb or something, only to find her trying to wash her hands in brown water with his beanie stuffed on her head.

"Washing my hands." She said matter of factly. "I can see that." He replied. "But I meant all of this." He said gesturing to the now messy bathroom. "What happened in here? Whats with my dads pills?" He said his brow furrowing. "Why are you even in the trailer to begin with? Why would you want to come here voluntarily. In case you haven't noticed my dad's not exactly a cleaning kind of guy. I can smell last month's dirty dishes in the sink."

Betty looked up from her handwashing. Her green eyes bore into his dark ones as if they were searching for something. After a long pause of awkward silence between the two she finally spoke.

"I ran away." Betty stated calmly. She watched slightly amused as Jugheads eyebrows in surprise.

"You what?!"


End file.
